Renault-Nissan Alliance Logs Record Global Vehicle Sales In 2013

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nissan Motor Co. said Friday the Renault-Nissan alliance sold a record 8.27 million vehicles globally in 2013 due to strong performance in China and the United States, the group's two largest markets.

The alliance's vehicle sales, including those of Russia's Avtovaz, rose 2.1 percent from a year earlier, eclipsing the previous record of 8.10 million units sold in 2012 and rising for the fifth consecutive year, the company said.

Nissan's sales climbed 3.3 percent from the previous year to 5.10 million vehicles on solid performances in China and the United States while those of its French alliance partner Renault SA's increased 3.1 percent to 2.63 million units. Avtovaz's sales dropped 12.1 percent to 534,911 vehicles due to an economic downturn in Russia.

"Strong demand in the world's top markets more than offset anemic growth and declines elsewhere," Renault-Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn said in a statement.

In 2013, the Toyota group including its two affiliates Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd. was the world's top-selling automaker with 9.98 million units, followed by General Motors Co. with 9.71 million vehicles and Volkswagen AG's 9.50 million vehicles, excluding some commercial vehicles.